attraction
1 Amalienborg Palace
The royal residence - time it right and you catch the changing of the guard at noon.
Moderate · 7.8 km · 1 hr 5 min
From Royal Copenhagen to Raw CopenhagenA safe cycling route in Copenhagen
From the polished royal city to the creative, anarchic edge.
Sights & culture
Food & drink
Your route, stop by stop
Open route in Google Maps →
Opens in the app if you have it installed, with every stop in ride order.
One ride, two cities. Start at royal Amalienborg and picture-perfect Nyhavn, cross to Christianshavn's canals and the golden spire of Our Saviour, wander the murals and free-spirit lanes of Christiania, then roll out to the shipyard grit of Refshaleoen. From changing-of-the-guard to street food in a gravel yard, this is Copenhagen's full range.
Turn by turn
Directions
Street-by-street cues for the whole ride - the numbered stops match the pins on the map.
- Head south-east 41 m
- Continue onto Amalienborg Slotsplads 47 m
- Turn right onto Amalienborg Slotsplads 24 m
- Turn left onto Amalienborg Slotsplads 76 m
- Turn right onto Toldbodgade 521 m
- 1 Nyhavn 14 m
- Turn right onto Nyhavnsbroen 8 m
- Turn left onto Nyhavn 138 m
- Turn left onto the path 94 m
- 2 Inderhavnsbroen 144 m
- Turn sharp right onto Strandgade 146 m
- Turn right onto Strandgade 666 m
- Turn left onto the path 167 m
- 3 Christianshavn Canal 84 m
- Turn left onto Dronningensgade 130 m
- Turn right onto Sankt Annæ Gade 7 m
- Turn left onto the path 36 m
- 4 Church of Our Saviour (Vor Frelsers Kirke) 36 m
- Turn right onto Sankt Annæ Gade 260 m
- Turn right onto Strandgade 528 m
- Turn left onto Strandgade 74 m
- 5 Freetown Christiania 74 m
- Turn left onto Strandgade 74 m
- Continue onto the path 15 m
- Turn right onto the path 73 m
- Turn right onto the path 128 m
- Turn left onto Bodenhoffs Plads 168 m
- Turn left onto Prinsessegade 70 m
- Turn right onto the path 235 m
- Turn left onto Refshalevej 78 m
- Turn right onto the path 43 m
- Turn left onto the path 29 m
- Turn right onto the path 80 m
- Turn right onto the path 26 m
- Turn left onto the path 67 m
- Turn right onto Dyssebroen 77 m
- Turn left onto Midtdyssen 893 m
- Bear right onto Norddyssen 485 m
- Turn left onto Forlandet 573 m
- Bear left onto the path 142 m
- Bear right onto the path 79 m
- Bear right onto the path 139 m
- Turn left onto the path 115 m
- 6 Refshaleoen 115 m
- Turn left onto Refshalevej 195 m
- Turn right onto the path 72 m
- 7 Reffen Street Food 72 m
- Turn left onto Refshalevej 457 m
- 8 La Banchina
Along the way
Stops worth making
sight
2 Nyhavn
The postcard harbour - walk your bike along the quay past the painted houses.
sight
3 Inderhavnsbroen
The "kissing bridge" sliding open for boats - the bike link between Nyhavn and Christianshavn.
sight
4 Christianshavn Canal
Houseboats, willow trees and Amsterdam-like canals - the prettiest slow ride in the city.
monument
5 Church of Our Saviour (Vor Frelsers Kirke)
Climb the corkscrew golden spire - 400 steps, the last 150 outside, for the city's wildest view.
attraction
6 Freetown Christiania
The self-governing free town - murals, ramshackle architecture, music and a lakeside path. Respect the photo rules.
sight
7 Refshaleoen
A post-industrial shipyard turned creative edge of the city - street food, saunas, galleries and salt air.
restaurant
8 Reffen Street Food
A waterfront street-food village with ~35 stalls on Refshaleoen (roughly March-September).
Website →
restaurant
9 La Banchina
Tiny dockside cafe and wine bar on Refshaleoen with its own swim pier and sauna.
Website →The essentials
The 3 rules that keep you safe in Copenhagen
However you got here, start with these. They are the rules visitors get wrong most often, and the ones that carry a fine.
Ride in the bike lane - always
Where there is a cycle track (the raised lane between the pavement and the road), you must use it - riding on the sidewa...
Lights on after dark
From dusk to dawn you must have a white light at the front and a red light at the rear, visible from 300 metres. Steady...
Keep your phone in your pocket
Using a handheld phone while cycling is illegal in Denmark and fined around 1,000 kr. That includes texting at red light...